Propeller



1,576,584 F. ERDMANN PROPELLER Filed Sept. 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y 33 nvemtoz SMM ttom t a lMarch 16 1926. 1,576,584

v F. ERDMANN u PROPELLER Filed Sept. 5, 1925 A 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 16, 1926.

FRANK ERDMANN, or BUFFVALdNEw YonK.

PROPELLR.

Application inea september 5, i925, .semaine/54,789.

To all whom it may concern,-

Be it known that l, FRANK EiininiNN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, havel invented a new and useful Propeller, of which the following `is a speciication. l

This invention aims to provide novel means whereby the blades of a paddle wheel on a vessel may be released after the blades have done their work, the engine of the ves-` sel being relieved of the work of forcing the paddles or blades upwardly through the water, after the blades have donetheir work so far as propelling .is concerned.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devicesof that type to which the invention apport-aine. p

71th the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description pro-` ceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be Amade within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows in plan, al device constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation; Figure 3 is a section. taken vertically through thelower part of a paddle wheel; Figure 4 is a fragniental end elevation showing a portion of the wheel; Figure is a section taken on the line 55 of Figure 3; Figui'eG 1s a section vrearwardly projecting framel 2 on which va thwart-ship paddle wheel shaft 3 is supported for rotation, the'shaft having cranksl f1 pivoted to pitinen 5 connected to cross heads 6 mounted to slide in guides 7 connected to the piston rods 8 of the enginel cylinders 9.

' The shaft 3 carries a paddle wheel 10 including spokes11, the spokes at oneiside of the wheel having lateral guides 12, and the spokes at theother side of the wheel having Alateral guidesfl-, Vas shown in'Figure 3the guides l14: projecting inwardly, and v`.the guides 12 projecting outwardly. rlllie guide lilias an inwardly prolonged loop-shaped` There are recesses or notches extension 15. 16 in the inner edgesof the guides 12, in the outer edges of the guides 14, and in the corresponding spokes 11. Y i i Locking slides are mounted for horizontal reciprocation on the paddle wheel 10, transversely thereof. Theileckiiig slide 17 is a coiiipo'site structure, each locking slide including a crossii'ien'iberl slidable in the recess 16 of ythe guide 12, and across 'ineinlier 19 slidaole inthe recess 1G of the )guide 1i... .The cross members 18 and 19 have reduced portions 20 vslidable iii the guides 12 and 14, as' shown in Figure '7, the cross meinbers being provided with ribs 21 which slide in grooves formed in the guides 12-and 14. Each of the cross members or heads 18 and 19`coinprises cooperating parts 23 and 24held together by securing elements 25 retaining Soutstanding spring latches 27 located on Yopposite sides of seats 28 formed in the parts 24 and 23, the parts 24C having superficial recesses 26 for the reception of the latches 27."' The constituent members of the transverse heads 1Sand- -19 are provided with oppositely'slanting ,calm edgesl. The

cross member 19 at one side ofv the wheel has an outstanding, oppositely slanting cam 29, but there is no suoli cam on the 'member 18;

The cross members or 'flieads18 and 19 are i united by a longitudinally adjustable connectioii, made up ofrods 80 connected at their inner ends .by a turn buckle 31, and mounted vat theirouter ends in the parts 23 of the members '18 and 19, as indicated` in Figure 6.' A compression spring 32 surrounds one of. the rods '30 of each connection and abuts at one end against thepart of lll() the cross inen'iber 19,'the other end of the spring abutting against the extension 15 of the guide' 14.` vThe function of the springs 32 is to carry the locking' slides to the right in Figure 3. l Y 1 i The blades `ofthe paddle wheel 10 are .markedr by tlieinuineral SSand include arms pivotally mounted intermediate their ends at 34 on the spokes 11 of the paddle wheel 10. The innerends of the arms 35 on the blades 33 are adapted tobe received in the seats 28 that are fashioned in the cross members or heads 18 and 19 of the spring' advanced locking slide 17.

A bracket 37 is mounted on one sidel of the frame 2, and actuating levers 38 are ulcrumed at 39 on the bracket 37 for horizontal swinging movement, rollers 40 being journaled on the inner yends ofthe levers, and the rollers being adapted to cooperate, oneat a time, withitliel operating cam 29 o ii the locking slide 17, as the levers 38 are selectively operated. The levers 38 have slots 41receiving'projections 42 on a rod or connection 43 mounted for right line reciprocation in the bracket 37, and united by a suitableconnection 52 with a crank 44 on a shaft 45 mounted to rock on the hull 1 and having `an arm 46V pivoted to a connection 4 7 which is pivoted to a lever 48 ulcrumed on a segment- 49 and providedwith a latch 50 adapted to cooperate with thesegment, the lever 48 preferably being the lever whereby the engine (of which the cylinders E) form part) isreversed.

lVhilst any paddle wheel blade 33 is doing its work in propelling the vessel, the arms 35 of the blade are engaged in the seats 28 oit the locking slide 17, and the blades are held against "swinging movement on their pivotal mountings 34, the slide 17 being carried to the right'in Figures 3 and 6 by the spring 32. By means of the lever 48, the connection 47, the crank 4.6 the shaft 45, the crank 44, the connection 52, and the rod 43, together with the projections 42, the levers 38 may be swung on their fulcra 39, to bring one or the other of the rollers 40 into operative relation to the cam 29 on the locking slide 17, one of the levers 38 being in working position when the paddle wheel l() is in direct rotation, and the other ot' the levers being in working position when the paddle wheel is in reverse rotation. About the time that the blade 33 has done its work, lso tar as propelling the vessel is concerned, the cani 2S) engages the roller 40 on that lever 38 which is in working position, and the locking 'slide 17 is moved to the lett in Figures 3 and 6, the spring 32 being compressed, and the seat 28 being disengaged from the arm 35 on the blade. The bladethus is released and no longer afl'ords any pressure against the water, the blade swinging into the position shown at the lower lett hand corner of Figure 2. As soon the cam 29 rides otl the roller 40 ot' the lever 38 which is in workingposition, the locking slide 17 moves tothe right in Figures 3 and 6, under the impulse of the spring 32 and disposes the cam edge 51 in such a position that when the blade swings from the position marked by the numeral 53 in F igurel 2, the arms 35 of the blade will engage in the seats 28, the yspring 32 yielding to permit this operation. In case the 'spring 32 does not respond quickly enough, and carry the locking slide 17 to the right in Figures 3 and 4, one oil the latches 27 will come into play, and prevent the arms 35 of the blade from swinging past center, and across the seats 28. It is therefore assured that the arms of the blades 33 will alwaysl engage` in the seats 28. Since the lever 48 is the reversing lever for the engine, lthe engineer is assured that the levers 38 will work in synchronism with the reversing ot the engine.

I claim:

1. Ina device of the class described, a. paddle wheel supported for rotation, a blade pivotally mounted on the paddle wheel, a spring actuated locking device movably mounted on theA paddle wheel and engaging the blade to hold the blade in working position, the locking device embodying cam parts, means under the control of an operator for operating the locking device to tree the blade, said means coacting with one ol the cam parts ot' the locking device, and the blade cooperating with the other of the cam parts, to move the locking device, and to permit the blade to engage with the locking device, as the blade swings to working position.

2. In a device oi the class described, a i

paddle wheel supported for rotation, a blade pivotally mounted on the paddle wheel; a. locking devicecomprisingheads having seats engaging the blade at the sides ot the wheel, to hold the blade in working position, and a longitudinally adjustable connection between the heads; spring means for moving the looking device to engage with the blade, and means under the control ot an operator for engagement with the locking device, to move it to unlocked position with respect to the blade when the blade is at a point in the orbit which it describes.

3. A device oi the class described, constructed as set iorth in claim 1, and further characterized by the tact that said means under the control of an operator embodies levers and ulcra therefor, the levers being so positioned that they cooperate, at one end, with said one oi' the cam parts ot the locking device, a member mounted for rightline sliding movement, and means for connecting the levers with said sliding member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto ailxed my signature.

' FRANK ERDMANN. 

